Hello everyone! It’s December, the last month of the year – already! Didn’t we just have New Year’s? This year certainly flew by. I will be doing a look back later, but for now, I want to just look forward to this month.

I talk a lot about slowing down, enjoying the quiet of this month, as it gets darker so much earlier, drawing us all in, indoors and maybe also, drawing us in for some more introspective thoughts, reflection, spiritual and otherwise. It is the month of the Quiet Full Moon, at least in the Kid’s Moon Club my son is in, and I can see why it was called that. We are drawing in, quieting ourselves and our spirits. (January is also known as the Quiet Moon, but Wyatt likes the alternate version of course, of the Wolf Moon).

The last few days winter has arrived fast and furious with very low temperatures here in the Mitten state. Some cities in Michigan have received up to 23 inches of snow already! Today we actually have a terrible weather forecast, that has low to zero visibility, snow squalls, flash freezes, and arctic temps but then we are back to normal in a few days. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that we don’t get all that. I like winter and snow but I don’t want anything crazy!!

I love to be outside in the cold, the crunch of the snow underfoot. It is just so refreshing and invigorating. I feel like it just sweeps through me and clears out anything negative hanging around. And to me, one of my favorite places to be is in the cold winter woods at night (but with Billy, not alone). We always go on an owl prowl every winter and it is one of my favorite things, walking through the woods with Billy and our friends the interpreters and other people excited about seeing little screech owls. There is something indescribable about waiting there silently, waiting for the owl to call back to let us know it is there. They have silent flight so you will never hear them fly in, but if you keep your eyes on the horizon at the right time, you might catch a glimpse of one.

I am being mindful this year to not overload us with too many activities- I want to do just enough. Just that right amount of going out, of seeing the lights and being a part of festivities, but also time at home spent baking and making and watching Christmas movies. All those good old nostalgic kids movies, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas (a personal favorite of mine), A Muppet Christmas Carol, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas – they just bring all the feels. And of course some just for Billy and I too, like the Man Who Invented Christmas or Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation.

We are also listening to Father Christmas by Tolkien together every night, as well as reading from the All Creation Waits Advent book. It is all so very peaceful in my soul, with this.

We decorated for Christmas the other day, and put our tree up. I have shared this before, but our tree is special to me. The year Wyatt was born was rough. He was born 6 weeks early, with health complications and spent 6 weeks in the NICU. When he came home, it was also a lot, with a little preemie who didn’t want to eat. He was just a tiny guy! Billy missed a lot of work and we will forever be grateful to his work who understood and allowed him to miss when he had to. It was a costly year, and when Christmas rolled around, we realized we didn’t have a tree. Then our guardian angel, a friend of our family named Faye, who I had known since I was a baby, sent us a card with a little extra in it, and told us to use it for Wyatt’s Christmas. We were able to buy some gifts for him, and a tree. She passed away soon after that, and the world lost a great light with her passing. But whenever I bring that tree out and put it up, I am reminded of Faye, and her kindness and compassion. And her laugh, her big laugh that could fill a room. She was a very special woman.

And I need to wipe these tears now.

I haven’t taken many photos yet, because I am not quite done decorating. I hope to finish up this weekend.

And, I think I am going to wrap this up for tonight, and start making dinner.

Stay safe everyone! And whatever you do tonight, do something that makes you smile.